#WrestleElJadida

#WrestleElJadida African Championships entry list

By Vinay Siwach

EL JADIDA, Morocco (May 12) -- When the African Championships begin in El Jadida, Morocco next week, all eyes will be on Nigeria's Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) and Marwa AMRI (TUN). They are the only Olympic medalist in the field of more than 200 wrestlers that will compete for the 30 gold medals on offer.

Oborududu, who won the silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics, will be eyeing her 11th straight African Championships gold. She is undefeated in the tournament since 2010. 

Other stars entered in the competition include world silver medalist and five-time African champion Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR), Olympians Diamantino IUNA FAFE (GBS) and Fateh BENFERDJALLAH (ALG) and junior world bronze medalist Nicolaas DE LANGE (RSA).

In Greco-Roman, former U23 World bronze medalist Abdellatif MOHAMED (EGY) will be competing for the first time since wrestling at the Tokyo Olympics. More Olympians will be eyeing medals in El Jadida as Abdelkarim FERGAT (ALG), Lamjed MAAFI (TUN), Bachir SID AZARA (ALG), Adem BOUDJEMLINE (ALG) and Amine GUENNICHI (TUN) are registered.

Oborududu and Adekuoroye will be responsible for a new-look Nigerian team running for the women's team title. But they will be challenged by Tunisia which is bringing five Olympians to the competition.

Apart from Amri, Sarra HAMDI (TUN), Siwar BOUSETA (TUN) and Zaineb SGHAIER (TUN) are entered for the tournament. Khadija JLASSI (TUN), the young star from the country, will try to win her first senior African title.

Egypt's first-ever senior world medalist Samar HAMZA (EGY) will be looking for her fourth African title at 76kg.

Tokyo Olympian Fatoumata CAMARA (GUI) will wrestle a weight up at 59kg.

The African Championships for seniors begins May 21 with women's wrestling and Greco-Roman bouts on Saturday and freestyle on Sunday. All the live actions and highlights will be available on uww.org.

Diamantino IUNA FAFE (GBS)Diamantino IUNA FAFE (GBS), left, is a junior African champion and Olympian. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Freestyle

57kg
Salah KATEB (ALG)
Rabby KILANDI (COD)
Gamal MOHAMED (EGY)
Diamantino IUNA FAFE (GBS)
Simon WAINAINA (KEN)
Younes LACHGAR 
Romio GOLIATH (NAM)
Ebikewenimo WELSON (MGR)
Jakobo TAU (RSA)
Omar FAYE (SEN)
Fathi NASIR (SUD)

61kg
Abdelhak KHERBACHE (ALG)
Mdraman BILE (CIV)
Jordan KABONGO (COD)
Shehabeldin MOHAMED (EGY)
Kenneth KOECH (KEN)
Sofiane EL KHAMER (MAR)
Didier DIATTA (SEN)
Jafar FASHER (SUD)

65kg
Chouaib SAHRAOUI (ALG)
Rosian NGUIGAZA (CAF)
Christ NDRI (CIV)
Yehia HAFEZ (EGY)
Mbunde CUMBA MBALI (GBS)
Otmane EL BAHJA (MAR)
Jean BANDOU (MRI)
Jason AFRIKANER (NAM)
Reynhardt LOUW (RSA)
Saya KOKO (SUD)

70kg
Rami BRINIS (ALG)
Armando NTOYA (ANG)
Guy LAGO (CIV)
Anthony WESLEY (CPV)
Said ELGAHSH (EGY)
Bacar NDUM (GBS)
Abdelwahad BADRI (MAR)
Sampson CLACKSON (MGR)
Gaston DIATTA (SEN)
Fakhireldin SORIEN (SUD)
Mohamed ZORGUI (TUN)

74kg
Abdelkader IKKAL (ALG)
Francisco KADIMA (ANG)
Amr HUSSEN (EGY)
Caetano ANTONIO (GBS)
Abubakar ALHASSAN (GHA)
Brian OLOO (KEN)
Aime RAKOTONIAINA (MAD)
Mohammed MOUFRIJ (MAR)
Ogbonna JOHN (NGR)
Arno VAN ZIJL (RSA)
Mamadou DIOUF (SEN)
Mohamed SESAY (SLE)
Nasir OCBI (SUD)
Jacob NTUYO (UGA)

79kg
Chems FETAIRIA (ALG)
Kieto ACHECO (ANG)
Nziga ZOZO (CAF)
Assane BALLO (CIV)
Andy MUKENDI (COD)
Nasser SAYED (EGY)
Mathayo MAHABILA (KEN)
Totiana RAZAFINJATO (MAD)
Youssef AIT BOULAHRI (MAR)
Jean STE MARIE (MRI)
Donald MABUSELA (RSA)
Lamjed MAAFI (TUN)
Jamal ABDUL (UGA)

86kg
Fateh BENFERDJALLAH (ALG)
Donald BENSANH (BEN)
Drissa ZON (BUR)
Cedric ABOSSOLO (CMR)
Barthelemy TSHOSHA (COD)
Mohamed ABDELAAL (EGY)
Arices DJIAMO (GBS)
Mark ONGUYESI (KEN)
Eric BORKUAH (LBR)
Mohamed EDDAOUAHIRI (MAR)
Jean MARIANNE (MRI)
Ekerekeme AGIOMOR (NGR)
Edward LESSING (RSA)
Guma BASHIR (SUD)
Sabri MNASRIA (TUN)
Ivan MASAKWE (UGA)

92kg
Mohammed FARDJ (ALG)
Timothee TOE (BUR)
Noureldin HASSAN (EGY)
Maxwell AMEKUDZI (GHA)
John OMONDI (KEN)
Fandresena RAMALANJAONA RALITERASOLO (MAD)
Ahmed SEREHALI (MAR)
Machiel GROBLER (RSA)
Imed KADDIDI (TUN)

97kg
Abderrahmane BENACHA (ALG)
Amoussou CAKPO (BEN)
John FOLANE (BUR)
Ulrich MANOUAN (CIV)
Aron MBO (COD)
Mostafa ELDERS (EGY)
Dan CHEPTAI (KEN)
Moussa SALIH (MAR)
Nicolaas DE LANGE (RSA)
Mohamed SAADAOUI (TUN)

125kg
Youssif HEMIDA (EGY)
Anas LAMKABBER (MAR)
Hamza RAHMANI (TUN)

Abdellatif MOHAMED (EGY)Abdellatif MOHAMED (EGY) is a U23 world medalist and the defending champion at 130kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling)

Greco-Roman

55kg
Mohamed DRIDI (ALG)
Rabby KILANDI (COD)
Abdalla SHAABAN (EGY)
Kamal BENABBOU (MAR)
Romio GOLIATH (NAM)

60kg
Abdeldjebar DJEBBARI (ALG)
Ahmed BAGHDOUDA (EGY)
Simon WAINAINA (KEN)
Aymane LAKHFIF (MAR)
Jakobo TAU (RSA)
Salim HAMDI (TUN)

63kg
Abdelkarim FERGAT (ALG)
Jordan KABONGO (COD)
Moustafa ALAMELDIN (EGY)
Kenneth KOECH (KEN)
Fouad FAJARI (MAR)
Hamed TCHOUFON (RSA)

67kg
Ishak GHAIOU (ALG)
Ivu KISUNGU (ANG)
Abdelrahman OMAR (EGY)
Bilal EL BAHJA (MAR)
Jason AFRIKANER (NAM)

72kg
Walid GHAIOU (ALG)
Armando NTOYA (ANG)
Mohamed KHALIL (EGY)
Yassine FARAJ (MAR)
Shafaihuuna BENHARD (NAM)
Daniel DU TOIT (RSA)
Radhwen TARHOUNI (TUN)

77kg
Tarek BENAISSA (ALG)
Francisco de Deus KADIMA (ANG)
Emad ABOUELATTA (EGY)
Brian OLOO (KEN)
Aziz BOUALEM (MAR)
Johannes HATTINGH (RSA)
Sheku KASSEGBAMA (SLE)
Lamjed MAAFI (TUN)

82kg
Abd OUAKALI (ALG)
Jones MABUNGU (ANG)
Andy MUKENDI (COD)
Fares GHALY (EGY)
Mathayo MAHABILA (KEN)
Mohamed FAIQ (MAR)
Abdul TCHOUFON (RSA)
Hakim TRABELSI (TUN)

87kg
Bachir SID AZARA (ALG)
Barthelemy TSHOSHA (COD)
Noureldin HASSAN (EGY)
Mark ONGUYESI (KEN)
Reda MOUENISS (MAR)
Edward LESSING (RSA)
Guma BASHIR (SUD)
Mohamed MISSAOUI (TUN)

97kg
Adem BOUDJEMLINE (ALG)
Aron MBO (COD)
Mohamed GABR (EGY)
Dan CHEPTAI (KEN)
Hamza BOUMADIENE (MAR)
Pieter SWART (RSA)

130kg
Hichem KOUCHIT (ALG)
Abdellatif MOHAMED (EGY)
Anas LAMKABBER (MAR)
Amine GUENNICHI (TUN)

Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR)Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) is a silver medalist from Tokyo Olympics. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Women's Wrestling

50kg
Ibtissem DOUDOU (ALG)
Nde YAPI (CIV)
Nada MEDANI (EGY)
Imane BOUJNANE (MAR)
Christianah OGUNSANYA (NGR)
Sarra HAMDI (TUN)

53kg
Lamia CHEMLAL (ALG)
Nogona BAKAYOKO (CIV)
Shaimaa BARAKAT (EGY)
Emma WANGILA (KEN)
Wissal EL GNAOUI (MAR)
Mercy ADEKUOROYE (NGR)
Lobna ICHAOUI (TUN)

55kg
Louji YASSIN (EGY)
Zineb HASSOUNE (MAR)
Jumoke ADEKOYE (NGR)
Faten HAMMAMI (TUN)

57kg
Farah HUSSEIN (EGY)
Peruce OKOBA (KEN)
Nisrine HAMMAS (MAR)
Esther KOLAWOLE (NGR)
Helena VAN AS (RSA)
Francine DIATTA (SEN)
Zainab BARRIE (SLE)
Siwar LOUATI BEN ALI (TUN)
Veronica AYO (UGA)

59kg
Rayane HOUFAF (ALG)
Fatoumata CAMARA (GUI)
Atika EL ASLA (MAR)
Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR)
Siwar BOUSETA (TUN)

62kg
Mastoura SOUDANI (ALG)
Françoise RASOARIMALALA (MAD)
Safietou GOUDIABY (SEN)
Marwa AMRI (TUN)

65kg
Berthe ETANE NGOLLE (CMR)
Sophia AYIETA (KEN)
Sunmisola BALOGUN (NGR)
Francine DIATTA (SEN)
Khadija JLASSI (TUN)

68kg
Houria BOUKRIF (ALG)
Blandine NGIRI (CMR)
Rosie TABORA (COD
Menatalla BADRAN (EGY)
Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR)
Patricia ELNOUR (SUD)
Ranim SAIDI (TUN)

72kg
Ebi BIOGOS (NGR)
Anta SAMBOU (SEN)
Zaineb SGHAIER (TUN)

76kg
Yvette ZIE (BUR)
Amy YOUIN (CIV)
Samar HAMZA (EGY)
Jemima NYARKO OFORI (GHA)
Hannah RUEBEN (NGR)
Nour JELJELI (TUN)

#UnitedWorldWrestling

UWW finalizes 2026 World, Continental Championships

By United World Wrestling Press

ZAGREB, Croatia (September 13) -- United World Wrestling has announced the host cities for all the continental and age-group World Championships for 2026.

The three age-group World Championships will be held in three different continents in 2026. Baku, Azerbaijan will kick off the World Championships season next year with the U17 World Championships from July 27 to August 2.

Baku hosted the Greco-Roman World Cup in 2022 and the European Olympic Games Qualifiers in 2024.

Las Vegas, United States will be hosting the U23 World Championships from October 12 to 18, the first time the country will host a World Championships since 2015.

Tirana gets Euros

The UWW Bureau held a meeting on Friday, a day prior to the World Championships, which begins Saturday in Zagreb. It allocated all the tournaments for 2026, barring the 2026 World Championships, to be announced on September 16, Wednesday.

The European Championships will be headed to Tirana, Albania and will be held from April 20 to 26. Tirana will also host the second stop for Ranking Series from February 25 to March 1.

For a second year in a row, Amman, Jordan will host the Asian Championships from April 7 to 12.

Iowa, United States managed to claim the Pan-American Championships for 2026. It will host the senior event in Iowa from May 6 to 9 after getting the rights over Lima, Peru. 

The U17, U20 and Senior Oceania Championships foe 2026 were awarded to Apia, Samoa.

Age-group continentals

Zrenjanin, Serbia will play host to the 2026 U23 European Championships from March 9 to 15. The U20 European Championships will be in Skopje, North Macedonia from July 6 to 12 while the U15 & U17 European Championships were awarded to Samokov, Bulgaria. The U17 event and will be held from May 11 to 17 and the U15 event from May 20 to 24.

For Asia, the 2026 U17 & U23 Asian Championships will once again travel to Da Nang, Vietnam from May 23 to 31. The country hosted the same tournament in 2025 as well. The U15 & U20 Asian Championships will be hosted by Bangkok, Thailand from June 27 to July 5.

The U23 Pan-American Championships will be moving to Miranda, Venezuela . The U20 Pan-American Championships will be held from July 9 to 11 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Panama City, Panama will be hosting the U17 Pan-American Championships from May 28 to 30. The U15 Pan-American Championships will be in Santiago de Chile, Chile.

As announced earlier, the Ranking Series stops are decided till 2028. For all details about events, refer to uww.org/events.

Note: An earlier version of the article read that the 2026 U20 World Championships will be held in Manama, Bahrain. That has been removed as the host is not confirmed.